Jun 13 [Iceland Day 5] Landmannalaugar Day Trip

Today, I am going to take you to a journey in the highlands of Iceland called Landmannalaugar. Never heard of it? But I am pretty sure you have seen of it in the posters or google images when you look up for Iceland. Remember the colourful mountain that you see which is so impressive that makes you go "Wah... Whoa.... Wow...."? Yep, that's Landmannalaugar.

Let's start off by giving you a little information about Landmannalaugar. Landmannalaugar is a place in the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in the Highlands of Iceland. It is at the edge of Laugahraun lava field, which was formed in an eruption around the year 1477.

We booked our Super-jeep tour with Southcoast Adventures and man, it was a looooooong (and bumpy) ride. But it's all worth it with the accompanied rugged landscape and amazing sceneries along the way. This is gonna be a very (and I mean, very much) photo-oriented blog post but I am pretty sure you are going to enjoy them. So without further ado, let's go!

The distance to Landmannalaugar from Gljufrabui (where we departed) was approximately less than 3 hours by car (read: super jeep) but we made a stop at Hekla, the queen of Icelandic volcanoes to admire the seemingly snowy mountain at that time.

By the time we arrived at Landmannalaugar, it started drizzling hence we decided to look for a shelter for a quick lunch before continuing our journey. The sky started to clear up after our lunch though still remained a little gloomy, we went over to the other side where we could marvel at the full spectrum of dazzling colour on the mountainside. There we saw shades of red, pink, green and golden yellow all change their tone according to the movement of sun rays and creating a dramatic wilderness. This area also marks one of the most popular hiking trails in Iceland where you could hike from hours up to days through the beautiful mountains. And I also believe the colours of the mountains will only get more and more vibrant.

Landmannalaugar is also known for its natural geothermal bath where you can soak and relax for a lazy day. Unfortunately we did not have a chance to enjoy it due to the rain and cold weather that day. But look at the pool with the amazing backdrop of the mountain, isn't that awesome!

Photo: Vilhelm Gunnarsson

Photo: Dirk Niermann

Photo: Dirk Niermann

After wandering around the area for a bit, we drove back through the beautiful mountains and by the crater lake known as Ljotipollur, which actually means 'ugly puddles'. I don't understand why was it named that way but it certainly is far from it as it appeared gorgeous with its turquoise coloured water and sloping burgundy coastal hills.

Our last attraction of the day was this beautiful hidden gem - Sigoldufoss. This is one of the waterfalls listed in my "5 Amazing (and less traveled) waterfalls in Iceland". I was instantly dazzled by the turquoise blue water and the serene surrounding which gives it an extra charm.

This is where the waterfall streams connect to the sea

Overall, it was a long day trip and I would comment that we spent more time traveling to places than visiting the attractions themselves. But I am not complaining as we were accompanied with breath-taking views along the way and the final destination did not disappoint us. It would have been better if it didn't rain that day. However, for those who want to fully experience the beauty of Landmannalaugar, opt for the hiking tours instead of just a day trip, which in my personal opinion is a bit too brief.